Say Cheese...

cakes that is!

These mini cheesecakes are perfect for the holidays 

and I make them every year for Christmas and New Year's Day.

They are a family favorite of ours and for good reason... they are simply

delicious!

They aren't overly time consuming or difficult to make.

You will need:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

3(8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Combine crumbs, sugar and butter.  

Press equal amounts into paper lined muffin cups.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.

Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Spoon equal amounts into cups and bake 20 minutes or until cakes spring back.

Cool, chill and garnish with whatever topping you prefer.

 

I like to use cherry topping especially at Christmas ~

 I think it adds a nice festive look.

 

 

The recipe makes two dozen so they're perfect for entertaining too.

 

I hope you will give these a try 

and I'm sure they will become a family favorite 

of yours too!

Enjoy

Sharon

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

This is our third Christmas tree we've had over the years ~ we have downsized and it's a lot less work.  Our first tree was 10 feet tall with over 100 branches you had to put in by hand and was unlit, so it used to take us several hours just to get it up and then several hours for me to decorate

(way too much work for me now).  

Then we had an 8 1/2 foot tree for many years and now this one which is 7 feet tall.  I used to put over 200 ornaments on our tree, but now have a little over 100 ornaments on our tree ~ most of them given as gifts so they have a lot of meaning.  

I collect snowmen and I have quite a few of them on our tree and also a separate shelf with only snowmen on it ~ they make me smile.

This is one of my favorite old fashioned looking village scenes ~
 the fiber optic tree changes colors and looks sweet at night.

I bought this sweet snowman at a craft show many years ago and the sled I found in Door County and love the rustic touch ~ sledding anyone?

This year I made these miniature bottle brush containers using different glass jars that I added hand glittered bottle brush trees with white sand as the base and I sprinkled sparkly white glitter on top ~ I'm giving them as gifts and decided to make a couple for myself:)

The red reindeer my mom recently gave me and have been in our family for many years and have special meaning to me.  The Night before Christmas book I found at an estate sale and it's from the early1900's ~ very happy to find this little treasure:)

I like decorating our light with some beaded garland and some greenery and vintage ornaments.  The vintage crystals I keep up all the time which gives it a little bit of sparkle.

I absolutely love this vintage wash board and I think it works well with this miniature tree 

~ the little queen!

BE MERRY!

Merry Christmas from our home 

to 

yours.

Sharon

SUPER MOON!

    

photo credit google images

For any astrology buffs out there or for anyone who likes to gaze at the moon and stars,

 there is going to be a super moon tonight.  

The moon will appear 30% bigger and 26% brighter as it will be 30,000 miles closer to the earth.  It will be easiest to see after sunset looking east/southeast.  

This month you will also be able to see 40-50 shooting stars per hour and on August 12th there is going to be a perseid meteor shower ~ look to the northeast horizon after 10pm and the best viewing will be after 1:00 am.

So break out the blankets 

grab the camera

and enjoy the show!

Sharon

Let it Snow!

We have gotten a fresh coating of 8 or so inches of white fluffy snow 

and everything looks so 

 beautiful.  

 

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful season...

Let it snow!

Sharon